A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: With a view to enshrine the International Year of Millets, a ‘Model Millet Project’ for production and promotion of millets was launched in Narayanpur Block of Lakhimpur district on Thursday under the auspices of NABARD, Lakhimpur and APRINS organization. The project is targeted to cover an area of 150 bighas with a participation of 50 farmers.
The inaugural programme organized for the project was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur Sumit Sattawan along with Bhaskar Manta, DGM, NABARD, Amlan Ranjan Tamuly, DDM Lakhimpur, NABARD, Ghanashyam Dutta, Senior ADO, Lakhimpur, Mridupavan Bhuyan, ADO, Narayanpur Block, Nandeswar Barman, LDM, Lakhimpur and officials from DICC.
The opening ceremony of the project was marked by lighting of earthen lamps by Deputy Commissioner Sumit Sattawan and ceremonial distribution of millet seeds to 25 leading farmers. A “Millet Khichdi” recipe was also distributed among the gatherings in order to promote the food.
Addressing the meeting held on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner Sumit Sattawan spoke about the uniqueness of the crop and encouraged the farmers of the district to adopt millet cultivation. Amlan Ranjan Tamuly, DDM Lakhimpur, NABARD, in his speech mentioned that the purpose of implementing millet projects in different districts of Assam is to create awareness among the farmers on millet production, processing, value addition and marketing. He also mentioned about the high nutritious value of millet and its demand in international market and the probability of setting up model millet village in the area. Ghanashyam Dutta, Senior ADO, Lakhimpur and Mridupavan Bhuyan, ADO, Narayanpur also extended different suggestions to the farmers regarding the cultivation of food grain and its role in enhancing farmers’ income.
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